The government has instructed the immigration authorities to reinstate the words "except Israel" on Bangladeshi passports, reversing a 2021 decision that had removed those.

The home ministry's Security Services Division sent a letter in this regard to the director general of the Department of Immigration and Passports on April 7.

Earlier, Bangladeshi passports contained the declaration: "This passport is valid for all countries of the world except Israel."

In May 2021, the government removed the "except Israel" words from e-passports, citing international compliance.

On Saturday, speakers at a mammoth rally organised by the Palestine Solidarity Movement, Bangladesh demanded the restoration of the "except Israel" words on the passports and the cancellation of all agreements with Israel.

Tens of thousands of people gathered in the capital's Suhrawardy Udyan for the rally as part of a March for Gaza programme to express solidarity with Palestine and to protest against Israel's atrocities.